1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of telecommunications, and more particularly to the field of providing increased bandwidth in telephone networks.
2. Background of the Invention
The development of computer technology has permitted a dramatic increase in the capability to store and manipulate information. The advent of computer networks, such as the Internet, has permitted a similarly dramatic increase in the ability of geographically distributed users to share such information. The number of persons and applications that rely on network computing continues to increase significantly each year, representing a large contributor to economic growth in the United States and elsewhere.
One of the most significant limitations to network computing applications is the rate at which data can be transferred over networks, typically referred to as xe2x80x9cbandwidth.xe2x80x9d The largest original network is the conventional telephone network, which consists of twisted pairs of copper wires linked between central offices and remote users. An example of a portion of a conventional telephone network is depicted in FIG. 1. Although computers are able, via modems and similar technology, to use conventional telephone networks, such networks are subject to a number of limitations. Among other things, telephone networks were originally intended for analog voice telephony. As digital applications using increasing amounts of data are required, telephone networks may provide inadequate bandwidth for such applications.
Many efforts have been undertaken to increase bandwidth in computer networks. Telecommunications providers have built networks using new technologies such as fiber optics. Cable television providers have sought to provide computing capabilities using networks of coaxial cable. Dedicated copper pairs, such as Ti lines, have been installed to provide increased bandwidth between certain sites. Systems such as ISDN have been established to provide increased bandwidth for certain applications. Protocols and methodologies such as Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (xe2x80x9cADSLxe2x80x9d) and Very-high-speed Digital Subscriber Line (xe2x80x9cVDSLxe2x80x9d) technologies have been established to make more effective use of the existing telephone network and other networks, permitting, for example, bandwidth to be extended to the megabit per second range over conventional telephone networks.
None of these efforts represents a complete solution. Dedicated lines and new networks will require years of installation. ADSL and VDSL are only effective to a degree in increasing communication speed without further changes to networks. ISDN is limited and difficult to use. Cable networks do not reach all users. Accordingly, a need continues to exist for systems and methods that improve bandwidth delivery to users and take advantage of the existing telephone networks.

Systems and methods are provided herein for increasing bandwidth using existing twisted pair telephone networks. In particular, systems and methods are provided for permitting statistical sharing of bandwidth of many twisted pair wires in a given neighborhood.
Systems and methods are provided wherein an active subscriber would communicate over several twisted pair wires in the neighborhood, thereby obtaining a dramatic increase in bandwidth.
In an embodiment, systems and methods described herein could permit an increase in the distance capability of ADSL/VDSL technology.
Disclosed herein is a method for sending and receiving broadband data over twisted pair wire lines between a central office and a remote subscriber, including providing twisted pair wire lines from a remote location to a location proximal to a subscriber, providing a plurality of packet switch nodes at the location proximal to the subscriber and networking the packet switch nodes with the twisted pair wire lines from the remote location.
A packet switch node is provided that is capable of identifying packets addressed to a particular subscriber and sending packets to the particular subscriber. The packet switch node may include a modem, such as an ADSL or VDSL modem. The packet switch node may include one or more splitters, a packet switch, and a modulator. It should be understood that the term xe2x80x9cpacket switch node,xe2x80x9d as used herein, encompasses a variety of such nodes and is not limited to a mere packet switch.
Methods and systems disclosed herein may further include a neighborhood node at a remote location from the subscriber that is connected between the telecommunications line from the central office and the twisted pair lines that lead to the packet switch nodes. The neighborhood node may be connected to the central office by an optical fiber. The neighborhood node may be particularly useful for VDSL transmissions. The neighborhood node may be capable of converting incoming information from the central office into packets and capable of addressing each packet to a selected subscriber.
Provided herein is a telecommunications network, including a plurality of twisted pair lines, a neighborhood node between the central office and the subscriber capable of converting incoming information from the central office into packets and capable of addressing each packet to a selected subscriber, a plurality of packet switch nodes for identifying packets addressed to a particular subscriber and for sending packets to the particular subscriber, each of the packet switch nodes having a splitter for separating voice data from other data, a network connection between the neighborhood node and the packet switch node, the network connection using at least one of ADSL and VDSL technology for transmission of data packets and a connection between the packet switch nodes. The packet switch nodes may have a connection to a subscriber""s house, such as via a drop wire.